Teen Killed After Fight With Parent

January 2, 1986|By Katie Springer, Staff Writer

A Fort Lauderdale area woman was charged Wednesday with killing her 16-year- old son following an argument sparked by the son`s desire to fire her handgun to celebrate the New Year, the Broward Sheriff`s Office reported.

Josephine Tuff, 35, of the 900 block of Northwest 27th Avenue, was charged with murder and was being held without bail at the Broward County Jail.

Her son, George, died at Plantation General Hospital of gunshot wounds to the head at 7:25 a.m. Wednesday, four hours after he and his mother got into an argument over the gun, deputies said.

Tuff said she accidentally shot her son through his bedroom door after he shut himself in, according to sheriff`s spokesman Matt Weissing.

The incident took place at 3:30 a.m. after they had returned from visiting relatives in Boca Raton, he said.

``When they came home, George wanted to borrow his mother`s handgun to fire for the New Year,`` Weissing said.

``When she refused, he became irate and started throwing things from his room. An argument ensued, and at one point she struck him with a broom,`` he said.

Tuff told authorities that her son eventually went to his room and slammed the door.

According to sheriff`s reports, she told her son she had the gun in her hand, but that it went off accidentally, shooting him in the head.

Weissing said investigators found a bullet hole in the bedroom door.

Tuff was charged with an open count of murder.

The victim`s grandmother, Ruby Tuff, 68, of Fort Lauderdale, said Wednesday that her son, George Sr., and his wife had been separated for years.